Tim Ceci

I share four prime observations and insights from last month’s National Retail Federation Conference in New York City as an exhibitor to support the North American launch for my client Qvalon (www.qvalon.com). The NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, comprised of a diverse community of thousands of leading retailers and industry professionals. Membership […]

Recently I had the opportunity to share retail industry thoughts and insights with one of the nation’s leading newspapers The Globe and Mail. We discussed the evolving resale market and how retail organizations are refreshing their omnichannel business strategies to achieve positive results in this emerging merchandise category. Amongst several points, I underlined the importance […]

AUT-BPR-ESTATE SALE RETAIL pdf 0122 FINAL This autumn I provided retail consulting services to my friend and colleague Glen Leiner, president of Glen Leiner Estate Services, specializing in estate sale services for a wide variety of clients in the United States for over two decades. After hosting several events I came to the realization that […]

It was great to attend the celebratory fashion show recently honoring entrepreneur, CEO and Brooklyn Fashion Incubator participant Nicole Lee. Her FreeWheel line FRWL creates a place of belonging for bikers by consistently providing quality goods that represent those passionate about bike life and to empower riders to have free will to be whoever they […]

As a board member and retail advisor to fashion designer Hisham Oumlil, I am always inspired by this brand’s the cultural crossings inherent in the styles and rituals of Moroccan culture—combined with the energy and diversity of New York City. Hisham creates beautiful ready to wear “for those pioneers who optimistically expand beyond their shores”. […]

It It was great to open this year’s Retail Hive session last week. The Hive connects all relevant peers, ideas, and solutions to disrupt, innovate and evolve in the retail industry. ( https://www.thehive-network.com/retail-hive/ ). The community has evolved into more than 220 retailers & 15 partners with a mission “to grow the retail hive community […]

I am honored to join the The New School/Parson’s School of Design teaching a Fall graduate level Retailing & Service Design course within the Fashion Management department ( www.newschool.edu ). The course provides an overview of the principles, procedures, disciplines and applications involved in successful retailing today. I add to the core foundation by sharing […]

Last week as advisor, I was proud to represent Qvalon (www.qvalon.com ), a cloud-based solution to manage, monitor and magnify omnichannel retail businesses at the Smart Retail Tech Conference in Las Vegas. As a retail leader I believe this mobile based tool provides for consistency in the execution of operational standards across a network of […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 7/21 Earlier this year I shared my perspective, along with several examples, on creative use of vacated commercial space. Such investment drives revenue, generates interest, and revitalizes communities (https://www.linkedin.com/in/timceci/detail/recent-activity/documents/). After my recent involvement with three important New York City projects,  I will expand upon that conversation to include public spaces. While […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 7/21 If there were nominees for the popularity and frequency of key words over the last year, by far one of the major finalists would be “pivot.” I have heard the concept and meaning behind pivot in more conversations than ever before, particularly during these pandemic times. The word reflects an […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 4/21 For most retail omnichannel brands the last twelve months have certainly been a very challenging period on multiple levels. Now that we have entered Q2 for 2021, there is a refreshed optimism that we are on our way to a steadily improving business environment and an opportunity for revenue growth. […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 3/21 A dramatic reduction of retail square footage in the United States has been well underway over the last several years for diverse reasons. Now further accelerated due to the global pandemic, the overall impact has been well reported and significant in a variety of ways. In towns and cities it […]

Last October 27 and 28, the Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship hosted the inaugural Dobson Day in NY. In collaboration with the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation du Québec, this online startup tour aimed to introduce and connect a select group of retail focused Dobson entrepreneurs to the dynamic NYC ecosystem of investors. Read more: […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 10/20 During a recent webinar one of my colleagues requested that I share a few books related to the retail world that I’ve enjoyed. There are indeed many exceptional works out there on the topic, and a variety of titles came to mind that rang true with my experience in the […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 9/20 I grew up in brick-and-mortar retail. Over the last ten years of my career I’ve served in a variety of leadership roles with Barneys New York, Celine, and Nordstrom. I’ve seen them each at the top of their game and witnessed their challenges as well. Each organization possessed its own […]

The year 2019 began with extensive analysis of last year’s retail performance along with plenty of commentary and key priority recommendations for this fast-changing omni channel environment.Although the results are still coming in, there’s plenty to consider in terms of profitability, number/size of store locations, ratio of wholesale/online/retail distribution, customer shopping behaviors, and brand awareness, […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 4/19 The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards officially opened in mid-March and “brings more than a mile of shopping and dining experiences to Manhattan’s West Side.” https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/press-media/press-releases/shops-restaurants-hudson-yards-open-march-15-noon Much has been observed and written about the Hudson Yards development by a variety of professionals in media, design, retail, real estate, urban […]

An informed and talented Speaker, Tim shares his experience, insights, and perspectives at engagements.

It’s important to evolve and consider new ways to engage customers now more than ever. Many brands consider ‘smart collaborations’. I shared thoughts on one example (Kith & Estée Lauder) with Glossy on Digiday Media.    

Achieving profitable merchandise margins for the long haul is key. Selling seasons carry their own unique characteristics and require balancing several important variables starting with your customer. I shared thoughts with Glossy on Digiday Media.     

CONVERSATIONS 2/19 Influencer.n. A person or thing that influences another. Oxford English Dictionary, https://en.oxforddictionaries.com(2/9/2019) There are many applications for the term “influencer”in business, marketing, social media, politics,and beyond.While the term is broadly used in our times,the concept is hardly new. I recently thought about many of my influencers past and present in a variety of […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 2/19 SAKS FIFTH AVENUE’S NYC INVESTMENT NOTES FROM THE FIELD2/19Last week I had the opportunity to visit the newly launched first and second floors of the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City. Their corporate parent Hudson’s Bay Company refinanced their twenty-year lease and invested almost a quarter of […]

Companies have long been involved in philanthropic contributions to nonprofit organizations over the years. But an increased and intensified commitment to social responsibility has emerged more recently.

Shared intelligence on key areas from my experience to build a foundation for an exceptional customer experience and promote future growth with an eye on expenses. Regardless of the products you  sell, your top priority the the relationship you have with your customers.    

ORGANIZATIONS 10/18 HENRI, HORACE & BARNEYORGANIZATIONS10/18The global retail evolution continues as the landscape is influenced by the growth of the Web, rising real estate costs,and the emergence of new brands that are then accented by changing demographics and shopping patterns. The impact has been particularly profound for many multi-brand department and specialty stores. With the […]

ORGANIZATIONS 10/18 The incredible growth of trillion-dollar Amazon.com over the last several years has had a far-reaching impact on a broad range of fields and interests including consumer behavior, web-related services, distribution, merchandising, marketing,technology, logistics, and warehousing,just to name a few. Amazon’ sentry into the retail physical space has just begun and will undoubtedly evolve […]

CONVERSATIONS 9/18 After an eventful New York Fashion Week,I thought about two local icons, Dapper Dan and Bill Cunningham. This designer and photographer, respectively,have each had incredible creative journeys spanning decades, their work woven into the rich fabric of this city. They have inspired generations of admirers with their accomplishments in fashion, style, art,and culture. […]

CONVERSATIONS 9/18 From experience I know that sharp, exceptional leadership in retail is critical and a building block for a brand to succeed whether in stores, headquarters, distribution centers,or the marketplace. For many years I had been a devoted reader of “Corner Office”in the Sunday New York Times business section. Pulitzer Prize−winning editor Adam Bryant […]

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 9/18 The retail “correction”currently underway in so many locations across the country continues. This is certainly evident in New York City,and the Upper West Side is no exception. Two stores (Gristedes, Banana Republic) situated right next to each other closed within the last several months. I walk by these vacant storefronts […]

I was honored to be invited to serve as Chairperson for UK based Retail Hive’s first conference in North America. Sharing key insights and experiences as well as learning from industry professionals was outstanding. .    

NOTES FROM THE FIELD 9/18 My Sunday New York Times included a brand advert poster, folded in quarters, all black with four words: “The Death of Retail.”This was certainly playing on the perception held by many that retail is dying. News flash:Nothing could be further from the truth. Happily, when I opened up the clever […]

BEST PRACTICES 8/18 The emergence of pop-up stores has been dramatic over the last several years. They have evolved and serve a variety of purposes:to build brand awareness, create an “event” to engage the customers,and drive revenue,to name a few. The number of “doors,”formats,and locations vary.Some are small momentary spaces while others may occupy several […]

CONVERSATIONS 8/18 I recently read an informative piece from the Harvard Business Review on customer experience,more commonly referred to as CX. They had conducted several case studies across telecoms, car rentals,and pay TV,with the assistance of McKinsey. Most of their core findings are reflected in retail as well. The piece sites that the customer’s engagement […]